Homeless Man Assaulted Near Upstairs Pub Amid Violent Friday Night in Bloomington

Update:

A GoFundMe has been started for Bobby, and the organizer will coordinate with Beacon to ensure the funds are properly managed and that Bobby receives the dental care and other help he needs.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-bobby-get-dental-surgery-after-assault

Video of interview with Bobby about his attack, and his injuries

Staff Report | The Bloomingtonian | September 28, 2025

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — A 60-year-old unhoused man known as Bobby lost three of his teeth after he was punched, knocked to the ground, and kicked by a group of masked young men Friday night on Kirkwood Avenue in front of the Upstairs Pub, according to police dispatches, arrest records, social media posts, and an interview with the victim.

Bloomington Police were dispatched around 11:30 p.m. September 26 to a disturbance outside the bar. According to dispatch traffic, and witnesses several men had earlier been seen riding in a vehicle while wearing doll-style masks. Shortly afterward, two unhoused men, both over 55, were attacked.

A video posted to Reddit shows a male in a white puffy jacket punching Bobby in the face. He said the blow knocked out his teeth and left him with bruises and a swollen arm. “I turned my back to walk away and he come around, sucker punched me in the face, knocked me down. They started kicking me,” Bobby told The Bloomingtonian in an interview Sunday.

Dispatches indicated that two suspects wearing white masks and white puffy jackets fled the scene. Officers were unable to locate them, and no arrests were made, according to available records. According to dispatches, one attacker pulled out a gun, and began to point it at people. Later, one of the injured men declined to cooperate with police, and the case was quickly closed but it’s unclear if any detectives will be following up to locate the attackers. At least one victim was transported to a hospital.

Bobby, who has been homeless in Bloomington for more than a decade, said this is not the first time he has been harassed or robbed by younger men. Despite his injuries, he said he forgives his attackers. “I’m old enough to be their grandfather … just think about somebody picking on their grandfather like that. How would they feel? I forgive them,” he said.

Caleb Hoagland, who works with First Christian Church, wrote in a Facebook post that he arrived after police had left. He said he found two bloodied men and offered them snacks and shelter until 3 a.m. “We cannot look the other way or condone this behavior and violence against our most vulnerable community members,” Hoagland wrote.

Scanner traffic also reported other assaults the same night, including one outside Five Guys and another in Peoples Park. It is unclear whether those incidents are connected to the Kirkwood attack. Friday was already a violent night in Bloomington — earlier, in what appears to be an unrelated incident, an unhoused man was shot and killed.

Bobby now faces lasting consequences from the assault. Missing three teeth, he said eating has become difficult, and without stable housing or insurance, he has little hope of affording costly dental care. Dental implants can run into the thousands of dollars, leaving his future uncertain.

The Bloomington Police Department does not hold press briefings on weekends.

Reddit link:

assault last night on kirkwood 9/26
byu/beanstoads inbloomington

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